Reporting for SAP Asset Accounting

1.3 Dynamic Selections

In addition to the fields displayed on the standard selection screen as explained in the previous section, all standard Asset Accounting reports offer what are called Dynamic selections. Dynamic selections provide additional fields for selection on the reporting screen.

These fields include additional asset master record fields and certain administrative information (such as the name of the user who created the asset master record, the date/time of creation, who last changed the asset record, etc.). You can call the dynamic selections by clicking on the corresponding icon as shown in Figure 1.5.

Figure 1.5: The Dynamic Selections icon

Once you invoke the dynamic selections an additional window displays on top of the selection screen which offers a list of additional selection fields. These fields include almost all fields of the asset master record. I say almost all fields because there are a few important fields that are not available, as I will explain in a moment.

Notice that the dynamic selections are organized according to the screen layout of the standard asset master record. For example, the asset master record contains a tab called Net Worth Tax—see Figure 1.6 for the list of fields available on this tab.

1.3.1 Tracking Property Tax Information

The Net Worth Tax tab is used to track certain property tax information for asset master records (Net Worth Tax is an awkward translation for Property Tax). Generally speaking, the fields on this tab are not available on the basic selection screen of asset reports.

Figure 1.6: The Net Worth Tax screen for the asset master record

They are, however, available as dynamic selections in asset reports as shown in Figure 1.7 in the section Net worth valuation.

Figure 1.7: Dynamic selections for Net worth valuation

1.3.2 Using Dynamic Selections

To use any of the fields listed under the dynamic selections, perform the following steps:

1. Select the field.

2. Click on the Copy icon.

The field will then appear as an additional selection criterion. For example, select the field Property indicator as shown in Figure 1.8 and click on the Copy button. SAP will show the Property indicator in a separate box to the right as a dynamic selection criterion.

Figure 1.8 : Dynamic selections—Property indicator

In addition to the most commonly used fields that are included in the asset master record, the dynamic selections also include a section called Administrative Data. This section includes helpful fields such as the name of the user who created the asset as well as the creation date.

Also available are the Changed by and Changed on fields as well as deletion or lock indicators. These fields can be helpful when analyzing who has changed an asset or when an asset was changed. See Figure 1.9 for the list of Administrative Data fields.

Figure 1.9: Dynamic selections—Administrative Data

1.3.3 The Useful Life Field

Remember that earlier I said ‘almost all’ fields are available as dynamic selections? Well, one field that is suspiciously missing from the list of available dynamic selections is the useful life field. Unfortunately, SAP did not include it in the dynamic selections and, as a result, none of the standard SAP Fixed Asset reports allow you to use the Useful Life as a selection criterion.

Since Useful Life is quite an important field in asset reporting, specifically for tax reporting purposes, I suggest you create a custom query or ABAP report that includes the useful life field in the selection screen.

1.3.4 Other Not Included Fields

Other fields that are not included in the dynamic selections are the Depreciation Key (this field is available on the basic selection screen of the Total Depreciation report however—see Chapter 3), Depreciation Start Date (not available on any report) and various other depreciation fields.

Again, a custom query or ABAP report would be a possible solution to this (or the use of BW—Business Warehouse).